TI6 DOTA 2 Recap, Highlights, and More

TI6 DOTA 2 Recap

TI6 was incredible. I am still speechless. Even now, weeks after The International 2016 (TI6 DOTA), I still can’t think of the right words to describe what I’ve seen.

That was, in my opinion, without any doubt, the best and most enjoyable spectator experience I’ve had in my life. Up until now TI3 had that special spot, but this years International swooped it like baby play.

The East-West cycle Continues

Firstly, I would like to congratulate the winner, Wings Gaming, for winning The International!

I’d like to thank them for an incredible display of skill, amazing draft and unparalleled teamplay.

Considered as underdogs by some (not by me though) they, as a “tier 2-3” team, managed to knock out every single opponent they came across. The only two games they’ve lost on the Main Stage were both Pudge picks.

They gained some recognition a bit before TI6, winning The Summit 5 and ESL One Manila 2016 though they still weren’t among the invited teams for TI6. Instead they had to battle their way through the Qualifiers, which they managed, and went off to a 3-2-2 score in the Group Stage (enough for a spot in the Upper Bracket).

Their Upper Bracket run was unstoppable, round 1 facing Digital Chaos, where they crushed first game, threw the second one with Pudge+Techies and crushed the third one making it 2:1 and sending DC to Lower Bracket. Next up they had MVP Phoenix whom they’ve crushed 2:0 with ease. Then, what most expected will be the end of Wings, last years champions Evil Geniuses. Wings swooped that one 2:0 and sent EG off to Lower Bracket Finals where EG lost to DC.

And again a surprise, DC won against EG. Another underdog team of rejects goes to the Grand Final, and it definitely was Grand!

TI6 DOTA Statistics

China had by far the highest amount of players in the Main Event (a total of 21), followed by Sweden with 11 and Philippines with 10

Ten players attended every International so far, Dendi being the only one with the same team (Na’vi)

The prize pool was bigger then all prize pools of next five games combined

Out of 110 heroes only 5 were never picked or banned (Bloodseeker, Leshrac, Lina, Treant and Visage)

Dire had a noticeably higher winrate of 53.5% to Radiant’s 46.5%

Fun fact: Wings had a ready Treant/Visage and a Bloodseker strat, just never found a good game to pick them. (source)

TI6 DOTA Surprises

Wings and DC weren’t the only surprises this International, there was actually quite a lot of them.

Team Secret‘s performance was unexpected, and they ended up 16th.

Fnatic fought their way through the Lower Bracket to 4th place, undefeated until DC ended their run 0:2. A team that barely anyone expected to do so good, there were a lot of people saying Mushi can’t do it anymore. This proves otherwise.

OG, considered as a team to reach the Grand Finals for sure, didn’t even manage to get top 8.

And TNC with Classic Jimmy leading the way, was another underdog who got much further away than most expected. TNC was the team to kick out OG, and placed themselves in the top 8.